Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, A Book That Changed the World
This virtual exhibition presents the global reception and impact of Rachel Carson’s
Silent Spring as well as the book’s legacy in popular culture, music, literature,
and the arts. Read chronologically starting with the overview, or go directly to
a specific chapter that interests you by clicking on the navigation slider below.

Photographs: The Estate of Rachel Carson has put most non-copyrighted photographs
in the public domain. All the research institutions listed above, plus several of
the named organizations listed below, hold some photographs. Format, cost, and availability
depend on the institution, as well as courtesy permission. Captions and name of
photographer, if known, should be verified from the lending institution. Commercial
photographs are available from Magnum Photo, 212-929-6000, and Corbis Images at 800-260-0444. The Martin Luther King Library Photograph
Department in Washington, DC has press photographs as do AP Wire Service, World
Wide Photo, and Time/Life.

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Inspiration For The Eco Revolution, Was Birthed In Boston“It is our alarming misfortune that so primitive a science has armed itself with the most modern and terrible weapons, and that in turning them against the insects it has also turned them against the earth.”Those are the closing words of Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking 1962 work, Silent Spring, about the dangers of pesticides. Silent Spring has been credited with launching the modern environmental movement. It might never have made it into bookstores if it weren't for the efforts of a venerable Boston publisher.

BIO
Bio is a professional organization focusing primarily on the practical aspects of
the art and craft of biography. The Biographer’s Craft is a publication for writers and readers
of biography published each month by BIO. It will soon become the official organ
of BIO.

Natural Sites Named for Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1966 in cooperation with
the State of Maine to protect valuable salt marshes and estuaries for migratory
birds. Scattered along 50 miles of coastline in York and Cumberland counties, the
refuge consists of ten divisions between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth. It will contain
approximately 7,600 acres when land acquisition is complete.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
A favorite bird-watching spot for Rachel Carson. More than 75 Years of Raptor Conservation.
Located in east-central Pennsylvania, Hawk Mountain is the world's first refuge
for birds of prey. Open year-round, visitors enjoy scenic vistas, 8-miles of ridge
and valley trails, a Visitor Center, Bookstore, and native plant garden, and each
autumn, the chance to observe large numbers of hawks, eagles and falcons as they
migrate past our lookouts. Operating as a non-profit eco-tourism site, your trail
fee or membership dues directly support scientific research, public education and
Sanctuary maintenance.

Blogs

Telling Lives
"I am not a biographer interested in "the life and times" but rather in telling
a life in time. We cannot ever get the truth of another’s life, but we can try to
catch at its creative spirit and the varieties of a life lived. 'Telling Lives'
is my record of some of these people who have caught at me, and whose creativeness
touched the natural world." - Linda Lear

Other Media

* Media listed in order by publication.

Rachel Carson: Voice of Nature Aired: 03/22/18
Focus on Rachel Carson’s connection to Pennsylvania and the impact her work has had on PA environmental and conservation policy. Inspired by a supportive mother, her natural surroundings and the Allegheny River, it was her formative years in Springdale that would shape her passionate environmental ethic.

Rachel CarsonPBS, January 24, 2017 [preview]
Featuring Linda Lear.
When Silent Spring was published in September 1962 it became an instant bestseller and would go on to spark dramatic changes in the way the government regulated pesticides. Drawn from Carson’s own writings, letters and recent scholarship, the film illuminates both the public and private life of the soft-spoken, shy scientist who launched the modern environmental movement.

"Rachel Carson's Silent Spring" produced by Peace River Films for the American Experience
in 1993. It is available at some libraries and from PBS.

RACHEL CARSON'S SILENT SPRING, A BOOK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
Mark Stoll
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring: A Book that Changed the World This virtual
exhibition presents the global reception and impact of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
as well as the book’s legacy in popular culture, music, literature, and the arts.

Based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, PhD., Living Downstream is an eloquent and cinematic documentary film.

This poetic film follows Sandra during one pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links. After a routine cancer screening, Sandra receives some worrying results and is thrust into a period of medical uncertainty. Thus, we begin two journeys with Sandra: her private struggles with cancer and her public quest to bring attention to the urgent human rights issue of cancer prevention.

But Sandra is not the only one who is on a journey—the chemicals against which she is fighting are also on the move. We follow these invisible toxins as they migrate to some of the most beautiful places in North America. We see how these chemicals enter our bodies and how, once inside, scientists believe they may be working to cause cancer.

Several experts in the fields of toxicology and cancer research make important cameo appearances in the film, highlighting their own findings on two pervasive chemicals: atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, and the industrial compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Their work further illuminates the significant connection between a healthy environment and human health.

At once Sandra’s personal journey and her scientific exploration, Living Downstream is a powerful reminder of the intimate connection between the health of our bodies and the health of our air, land, and water.
www.LivingDownstream.com

The Power of One Voice: A 50-Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel Carson is a
groundbreaking documentary examining the life of Rachel Carson and the profound
implications of her environmental work. Perfect for classrooms and community events,
this 51-minute film features interviews with Rachel Carson’s adopted son, Roger
Christie, her biographer, Linda Lear, and other notable writers, scientists and
advocates. By highlighting the power of Carson’s voice, we hope to inspire others
to add their voices to this essential conversation. More details, including DVD
purchase information, at www.powerofonevoicefilm.com .